Lj. Crockett et al., TIMING OF FIRST SEXUAL INTERCOURSE - THE ROLE OF SOCIAL-CONTROL, SOCIAL-LEARNING, AND PROBLEM BEHAVIOR, Journal of youth and adolescence, 25(1), 1996, pp. 89-111
Prior research has pointed to several distinct processes that may affe
ct the timing of first intercourse among adolescents. In the present s
tudy, the role of six hypothesized processes was assessed in a sample
of 289 rural adolescent boys and girls. Results support the importance
of family socialization and problem behavior for both sexes, the role
of biological factors for boys, and the role of social control proces
ses for girls. Two other hypothesized influences-social class and poor
psychosocial adjustment-were not supported in either gender These res
ults indicate that multiple processes influence the timing of first in
tercourse; thus, they underscore the need for eclectic predictive mode
ls that incorporate the multiplicity of influences.